About the author

BETH ROGERS chairs the UK National Sales Board and was instrumental in the launch of National Occupation Standards for Sales. She is regarded as a leading thinker on the topic of sales management, and is also sought out for her ability to provoke the thinking of others. Her other roles include Research Director of the Institute of Sales and Marketing Management and Programme Manager for Sales Management at Portsmouth Business School.

Her extensive practical experience in both sales and marketing in the information technology sector has been supplemented by in-depth consultancy in a variety of organizations, together with research and teaching. She has worked with major corporations in Europe, the US, SE Asia and Australia, but also with small businesses in the South and South-east of England, both in manufacturing and services.

Beth's previous books include co-authorship of Key Account Management: Learning from Supplier and Customer Perspectives. She has written many articles over the past eighteen years for academic journals and trade publications. She has also provided comment for the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Times.

Beth works with employers, her alumni, professional institutions and fellow experts to raise the profile of the sales profession.

Foreword vii

Acknowledgments xiii

About the author xvii

Introduction xix

Part I Strategy 1

1 The big picture 3

2 The purchaser's view 27

3 The B2B relationship box 51

Part II Using the Relationship Development Box 71

4 Strategic relationships 73

5 Prospective relationships 97

6 Tactical relationships: the power of low touch 117

7 Cooperative relationships 137

8 The end of relationships 153

Part III Strategic Focus for 21st-Century Sales Management 173

9 Reputation management 175

10 Working with marketing 197

11 Leadership 217

12 Process management 239

Bibliography 267

Index 281